Nationalist populism, immigration and xenophobia

Abstract

During the last years populist parties that promote a deep and violent reaction against immigration have gained lot of popular support in several countries in the European Union leading to an increasing presence of these movement in governments and institutions. These parties that spread hatred against different groups of people and political "enemies", pose a direct attack on the very essence of human rights. They have taken advantage of the concerns and discontents that are common in these times in order to attract huge amounts of voters in a moment in which the degradation of public debate and the depreciation of knowledge-based ideas and proposals have given space to authoritarian and messianic leaders. This paper analyzes the national populism phenomenon and its impacts in the field of migration policies and in the advance of xenophobic feelings and attitudes. The guarantee of human rights and the promotion of the intercultural principles are presented as the best ways to face the populist and xenophobic threat.